Five workers have been killed by a huge blast at a rocket and explosives factory in Turkey, officials say.
It reportedly occurred early on Saturday at the state-owned MKE Rocket and Explosives Factory, located 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the Turkish capital Ankara. The explosion caused several other injuries and, according to state television, broke windows in adjacent homes and businesses.
Officials said the explosion was caused by an incident in the factory’s dynamite department and has left many in critical condition.
State media stated that injured personnel had been transported to nearby hospitals, and regional governor Vahap Sahin said that no more employees or staff members were still trapped in the rubble.
Sahin told reporters that the explosion was the “result of a chemical experiment, according to technical staff”, and that it happened at 08:45 local time (05:45 GMT).
In a statement, Deputy Defence Minister, Alpaslan Kavaklioglu said officials had reviewed footage from inside the building in the moments before the blast and that there was “nothing out of the ordinary until the moment of the explosion”.
“Our workers were carrying out their normal activities, and the explosion happened suddenly,” he added.
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